Hi there,

Conversation starters: Identity and Occupation

Let’s think about a first-time conversation you had with someone. Have one in mind? Did it start something like this:

So-and-so: Hi, I’m so-and-so.

Insert-Name-Here: It’s nice to meet you. I’m insert-name-here.

So-and-so: And what do you do?

Occupation and Identity

I’m sure there was much more to your conversation depending on context but that question of what we do for a living is a natural one to ask. And it makes sense as our job titles can reveal common interests and passions. I would have totally skirted around this question in previous seasons of life if asked though. Running the merry-go-round at the local arcade, Planet Play was hardly pursuing my passion but hey, it was a paycheck for my high school sophomore self.

There’s something to be said though for the shift a conversation can take when we leave our titles out. In this week’s :45 video, one of our Program Managers in South Sudan teaches us how she does this both figuratively AND literally and how it helps to spur learning and listening.